The crowd went wild, fans jumped out of their seats, players flooded the court and the sports announcer was astonished after LWC senior Chase Spreen hit a once-in-a-lifetime shot earning the Blue Raiders the win over Georgetown College, 79-78.
Since Saturday, video of the once-in-a-lifetime shot has been featured all of the Internet and television from ESPN Sportscenter to newspaper websites in England.
The Blue Raiders were down by two, 76-78, with two seconds to go. Georgetown was at the free-throw line.
After Georgetown missed two free-throws, Spreen rebounded the ball and made the miracle three-point shot from the free-throw line on the other side of the court.
“It’s the most unbelievable shot I’ve ever seen in my life!” shouted Chris Wells, LWC Assistant Athletic Director and sports announcer. “I’ve never in my life seen a three quarter court shot go in.”
The crowd in Biggers Sports Center immediately went wild at the last second win. Dan White of LWC Sports Information interviewed Spreen after the game.
“We had like two seconds and there was really only one thing to do and that was to just heave it,” Spreen told White. “I caught the rebound on the miss and just let it go. It went in. Thank God.”
White asked Spreen what it felt like after he shot the ball.
“When I let the shot go, it felt like the ball was in the air for a good 20 seconds,” Spreen said. “It was in there forever. I can’t even describe the emotions of everything we just went through.”
The Blue Raiders struggled for the lead until the very last second of the game. Georgetown built as much as a 19-point lead in the latter stages of the game. Spreen said he wasn’t too worried and felt like the Raiders had enough time left in the game to take the win.
“We just knew there was plenty of time left and we just kept chipping away,” Spreen said.
Spreen said he knew when Georgetown was at the free-throw line in the last seconds of the game they only had one shot at winning.
“When the ball left my hands it felt good,” Spreen said. “I am not going to say I knew it was going in. But I knew it had the distance to go in. I just wanted to make sure it had enough on it to give it a chance. Thank God it was right there.”
The win against Georgetown was the second time in two weeks that the Blue Raiders have powered through in the final quarter to take the win. The Raiders beat University of Rio Grande last week, 73-70, scoring the finals points in the last two minutes of the game.
SPREEN IS MSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Spreen’s miracle shot earned him the Mid-South Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the first time in his basketball career.
According to LWC athletics, Spreen finished last week shooting 58.3 percent from the field including 72.7 percent in three-pointers, averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game.
Only one other player from LWC men’s basketball has earned the player of the week title this year, Adair County’s Kalen Kimberland.
TOP 11 IN COACHES POLL
The LWC Blue Raiders were bumped up three spots to No. 11 in the this week’s NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches Top-25 Poll. It is the highest ranking of the season.
Video coverage of Spreen’s three quarter court shot can be found at www.accovnline.com.
LWC will be back in action and on the road tonight in Campbellsville at 7 p.m.
By Allison Hollon
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